Autoamtic receiving teller



Feb. 2, 1960 I A. R. ZlPF 2,923,587

AUTOMATIC RECEIVING YTELLER Filed Feb. 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. AAFFED A? Z/PF BY M Arram/EKS.

Feb. 2, 1960 A. R. ZlPF AUTOMATIC RECEIVING TELLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 wh m m A AM Filed Feb. 10, 1958 United States Patent 2,923,587 AUTOMATlC RECEIVING TELLER Alfred Zipf, San Carlos, Califi, assignor to Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association, San Francisco, Calif., a National Banking Association Application February 16, 1958, Serial No. 714,190

2 Claims. c1. 346-22) This invention relates to an automatic receiving teller suitable for making deposits in a bank.

Banks, like many other commercial organizations serving the public, have periods of peak as well as low activity. Periods of peak activity in a bank are readily recognized by the long lines of depositors waiting to make their transactions, such as deposits, withdrawals, etc. Obviously, it is economically unwise to hire a sufficient i atented Feb. 2, 1960 they are passed through the microfilmrecorder. Thereobjects and advantages thereof, will best be understood number of tellers to rapidly handle the depositors during logical in that the depositor has no immediate ofiicial confirmation of his deposit from the bank, and, second, the arrangements described are usually limited to checks, and not cash.

An: object of the present invention is to provide a novel and useful automatic receiving teller which expedites the making of deposits in'a bank.

.Another object of the present invention is the provision of anovel and useful automatic receiving teller which instantaneously makes a permanent record of all doc ments deposited.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic receiving teller which provides an authenticated receipt for a deposit.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic receiving teller which receives both checks and currency and preserves them in the order ofreceipt.

Another object of the present invention is the provision .of a novel, useful, and unique automatic receiving teller.

These and other objects of the invention are provided by an arrangement wherein a depositor who has itemized the checks and currency which he desires to deposit on a deposit tag is enabled to make his deposit without waiting further for the services of a human teller. In accordance with this invention, the depositer first prepares a deposit tag in duplicate. On the deposittag, as is customary, he itemizes the value of the checks and currency which he desires to deposit. Further, in accordance with this invention, there is provided a means for stamping on the deposit tags in duplicate a validation stamp which effectively includes data for identifying the deposit, such as the time, date, transaction number, branch name, etc. The duplicates of the deposit tag are then retained as a receipt by the depositor. The original deposit tag, together with the currency and checks comprising the deposit, are then passed in sequence through a microfilm recorder, which takes a picture of both sides of each the checks, and the currency in the sequence in which from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is one side view in section of the embodiment of the invention taken along the lines 22 of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is another side view in section taken along the lines 3-3 of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 in a view along the lines 4--4 in Figure 2 and shows a back view of the deposit-receiving means usedin the embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a view taken along the lines 55 in Figure 4 and shows a side view of the deposit-receiving means; and

Figure 6 is a view in elevation taken along the lines 6-6 of Figure 4 and shows details of the elevator plate in the deposit-receiving means.-

Reference is now made to Figure l, which shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention. This will include a cabinet 10, which will be made of sufficiently sturdy material to protect the deposits which are made and kept therein. At the top of the cabinet 10,

' there is mounted a validation-stamping machine 12. This cially purchasable equipment, which includes a clock 1 16 to show the time which will be stamped by the validation machine. when a deposit tag is inserted in the slot 18. The validation machine will stamp data for identifying the deposit being made, such data being, for example, the date, .the time, the transaction number, and the name of the branch bank.

The portion of the apparatus exposed by the lifted lid 14 is a microfilm recorder of a type which includes a mechanism for automatically and singly feeding documents from a stack in sequence through the microfilm recording apparatus which has provisions for recording both sides of these documents as they are passing through. This apparatus is sold, for example, by the Burroughs Corporation and is known as the Burroughs-Bell & Howell Microtwin. The controls exposed by the lifted lid 14 comprise a feed-control switch 22, which can be manually actuated to turn off the operation of the auto-.

matic feed control in the event of trouble. A powerline switch 24 is used for turning power on or off. An indicator light 26 indicates readiness for use. A filmspeed-setting switch 28 is used to vary light settings for exposure accommodation for films having different film speeds. Also shown is a manual feed throat 30, into which documents may be fed by hand singly, if desired.

The manual feed throat, as well as the controls just enumerated, are all covered by the lid 14 when it is in the downward and operating position. There is exposed,

. however the automatic feed throat 32, which is defined by a backstop 34-and a movablestacking'member 36;

In order to utilize the invention, a depositor will first fillout a deposit tag in duplicate, itemizing the checks and currency, exactly-as is done at present Th :d t-jt I inforced by three flat enlongated eate tags are prepared simultaneously using carbon paper in well-known manner.

tion is supported. The duplicate tags are theninserte'd' into the slot 18 for validation.

The original tag'is then separatedtfrom the duplicate, which is retainedby the" I depositor; The'checks and currency' are then put'iri the= order of itemization,- andthis stack is inserted betweem the backing member 34 andthe stacking member 32,

which is 'moved to hold the stack in place against the bottom of the automatic feeder throat;

v If the apparatusis in conditionto receive a deposit}, a light 44 will be lit. The depositor then actuates a pushbutton '46, which will start theautornatic feeding apparatusv to sequentially pass the deposit slips, checksfand currency through the microfilm recorder. The automatic 7 feed apparatus will continue to function as long as pushbutton 46 is held until the stack which has been inserted into the automatic feed throat has been passed into-the microfilm apparatusy Any coins whichiit is desired-"to deposit'are placed into a bagprovided for thepurpose, and a drawer 48 is "opened and the bag with'the' coins is dropped thereinto. The drawer, 48," aswill'besubsequently shown, 'ha's'a means for preventing the removal Provision is madegin the-microfilm apparatusof afmas'k of any of the coinage which has been dropped thereinto.

so-that any currency which is photographed on both'sides i V has the photograph defaced.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown in section a I side view of the arrangement for receiving the deposit andpreserving'the order of'the documents deposited; The automatic feeding apparatus in the microfilrn recorder includes a plurality of pairs of rollers 49A, 49B, 49C, 49D, shown by dotted lines, for the purpose rof guiding, a document, such' as a check, currencyQprja deposit tag,,inta pathpa st mirrors suitably positionedt'sog that both sides of the document ,may be photographed."

The details of this: arrangement will not be described or shown herein, since the apparatus is commerciallypun.

chasable and a description of the details of'the apparatus whereby the microfilrning of both sides of the document isachieved would merely .serveto lengthen this record without contributing to an understanding of the inver'itionl It should suflice here toindi'cate that a guidepIate- SQ, 5

shown in dotted lines, servesithe functionaof guidingthe document, afterit has beenlphotographed, intoa rectangulaitray 52, which serves the function. of receivingQthese documents andholding themiinv theorder-in which they are initially deposited; r s

f ported-at its upper' end. The trip member tripsrasmicro-f switch 115. This energizes motor 88 in a directiomto plate 56. These three metal plates are welded" together to'for n an open tray. The baseof thetray'isformed by i three rods 80.; This tray isheld in an upright position by;

means of corner anglesfiii, with which the removable-' tray is slidably engaged; The corner angles form a receiving open basket, and ei tend beyond the metal plates and are used as legs to hold the removabletray highenough above thebase of the cabinet to be in posi{ tion to receive documentstfrbm theguide' plate 50. The. cornerangles ware-maintained in positionto receive thetray by lower cross members 64, 764A, towhichthey are attached, by an upper= cross member.- 62,-by ,a handle 63,,and by sidemembers '65,: 65A. The open basket- 1" structure tormedby the four .cornerangles and its bottom, andtopcross membersand sidelmembers is further re- Otherwise; thedeposit" receptacle remains upright for fillingin the manner shownby the solid lines .inFigure 2. i As maybe seen in :Figure 5, thereareatleas't three rods 80,.whichlare-attached ;near the lower end *of th'e member, 56, forming thebottomof the removable tray.

The loadingstructurefor the tray includes -a lead-screw 82, which, as may be seeninf'Figures '4 and 5, is rotatably supported at its top end in a bearing attached by a clamp 34 to the cross member 62. At its bottom end, the lead screw 82tis supported in a gear box 86, which is attached to and driven by a motor-88.?

The motor, as may be seen in Figure 5, isat'tached tQ I the cross member-64 and, to another rear cross" member 64A;.fwhichextends underneath the plate 56-betwee'nthe-- twolangles' 60 ion either side of the plate 56. Thereby; the motor is 'made' to be movable with the rectangular receptacle; Asmay better be seenin Figure 4, a pair ofthreaded nuts-90,192 are attached to a flange 94,'which" in turn i'sattachedtd a bracket 96; 'This bracket carriesanjelevatorlpl-ate98,-the details ofwhicharashownin Figure'o; The elevator plate has'three slots therein, respectively 100,102, 104, to enable it to be moved below the pins" when the tray is'to be removed from itsre ccivin'g' basket formed by the, corner brackets.- The bracket"9 6 carries a first'actuating member '106 at one sidfle and'a second actuating member: 108 on the other side,t These--members' 'are employed to actuate-limit switch] 112 located at" the top of the desired "elevator plate travel. r

In order to operate this invention, the receiving tray is inserted into the'receiving basket, which is then main- 7 tainediin the upright position shown in Figure--2.f The V 1 toggl'e'switch- 112 is actuated until it is downwardjin the l position shown in Figure 4. This actuates themotor the-elevator plate; as a result,- will becarried upward by the leadscrew 82. This continues until the-actuating 'mem-;

her 108 moves the toggle tupward,-;-whichcu ts:':ofi the' motor.

Each time 'a deposit is made-as maybette'r: be seen in Figure 2, the bulkof the document'which :i's sliding 1, from the guideplate 50 into the tray 52 will move'a microswitch trip rnember 113, which is pivotably suplowerithe elevator; plate 01134011111110'fl'IIEGPGlghthSTOfXQH inchz This operation is repeated for eachdeposit; When theiactuating member 106 actuates microswitch 2110,: the;

motorsisstopped and a full? light'117 (shown inyFigure 1) is lit, indicating this fact. The. back ofthe Vcabinet-= can then be opened and the basket and. .trayutilted-iback by means of the handle 63,'and the tray andraits contents can then bexremoved. The basket. canthenzbe loaded-r with another tray for operation as an automatidreceivingv teller again.

Fi'gurefi is a cross section of the embodiment'of the invention shown-in Figure 1 taken along the lines-6+3.

This press section shows the "portion of-the embodiment of the "invention which is employed 'for the collection of coins. These areinse'rte.d in a paperbag'iwhichihasv marked on the external side the vvalue of the coins; the depositors name, and other data to associate this ba'gr withthedepositflbeing made of currency and/or checks heme rautomaticlportionofthe invention, The bag is. en inserted intothe drawer. 48, which,-' as; shown in Figure 3, is pivotally attached to the cabinet 10. The drawer pivots outward a limited amount, whereupon the bag with the coins may be dropped therein. When the drawer is returned to its closed position, the contents of the bag are dropped into a receptacle 116. Besides the dimensions of the opening provided when the drawer 48 is in its most open position, further provision against the insertion of anything for removal of the contents of the receptacle 116 is provided by defining the chute leading to the receptacle 116 by metal plates 118, 120, to the ends of which are attached swinging prongs 122, 124. These prongs mesh when any attempt is made to withdraw an object in an upward direction therebetween and prevent further withdrawal upward of said object. The receptacle 116 is accessible from the opened back of the cabinet for emptying.

Accordingly, there has been described and shown herein an automatic receiving teller which functions to provide a validation to a depositor of the fact of a deposit and, further functions to preserve an exact record of the currency and checks which have been deposited. The order of the making of a deposit, which is also important in the checking functions carried out in banking business, is also preserved upon emptying the automatic receiving teller. This invention also eliminates the necessity for human processing in the making of the deposit and can operate to accept deposits more rapidly than the human teller it displaces.

I claim:

1. A teller for automatically receiving and recording the deposit of checks, currency, and the like itemized on. a deposit tag comprising a cabinet having a timestamping means mounted on the top thereof for stamping deposit identification data on a deposit tag, means for holding said deposit tag, checks, and currency in the order of itemization mounted on the top of said cabinet, a microfilm recorder mounted in said cabinet and including means for photographing both sides of a document passed therethrough, manually actuated means for removing said deposit tag, checks, and currency singly and in sequence and passing them through said microfilm recorder, and means within said cabinet for receiving and stacking said deposit tag, checks, and currency in the order passed through said microfilm recorder including an open tray into which documents passing through said microfilm recorder are dropped, an open basket for removably holding said tray, a rotatably supported lead screw extending along one side of said basket, a nut threadably engaged with said lead screw, an elevator plate, means for supporting said elevator plate within said tray from said nut, and means for rotating said lead screw to move said elevator plate within said tray each time a deposit is made to enable said deposit to be held in position.

2. A teller as recited in claim 1 wherein there are mounted at a lower-portion of said tray a plurality of spaced rods for supporting deposit tags, checks, and currency dropped thereon from said microfilm recorder; said elevator plate has slots therein to enable it to freely pass said plurality of spaced rods, and said open basket has hinge means attached to the base thereof to enable tilting of said basket away from said microfilm recorder to enable removal of said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,491 Kline Aug. 26, 1924 2,105,442 Murtagh Jan. 11, 1938 2,572,003 Binns et al Oct. 23, 1951 

